Guillaume Coustou, the Elder

{"Id":2668,"Name":"Guillaume Coustou, the Elder","Biography":"\u003Cstrong\u003ECOUSTOU, Guillaume\u003C/strong\u003E (1677-1746), was the son of a wood-carver at Lyons, where he was born. Like his brother \u003Ca href=\u0022http://www.artcyclopedia.com/artists/coustou_nicolas.html\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 class=\u0022link\u0022\u003ENicolas\u003C/a\u003E, also a sculptor, he gained the Colbert prize; but refusing to submit to the rules of the Academy, he soon left it, and for some time wandered houseless through the streets of Rome. At length he was befriended by the sculptor \u003Ca href=\u0022http://www.artcyclopedia.com/artists/le_gros_ii_pierre.html\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 class=\u0022link\u0022\u003ELegros\u003C/a\u003E, under whom he studied for some time. Returning to Paris, he was in 1704 admitted into the Academy of Painting and Sculpture, of which he afterwards became director; and, like his brother, he was employed by \u003Ca href=\u0022http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09371a.htm\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 class=\u0022link\u0022\u003ELouis XIV\u003C/a\u003E, His finest works are the famous group of the \u003Cu\u003EHorse Tamers\u003C/u\u003E, originally at Many, now in the Champs Elys\u0026eacute;es at Paris, the colossal group \u003Cu\u003EThe Ocean and the Mediterranean\u003C/u\u003E at Marly, the bronze \u003Cu\u003ERhine\u003C/u\u003E which formed part of the statue of Louis XIV at Lyons, and the sculptures at the entrance of the Hotel des Invalides. Of these latter, the bas-relief representing Louis XIV mounted and accompanied by Justice and Prudence was destroyed during the Revolution, but was restored in 1815 by Pierre Cartellier from Coustou\u0027s model; the bronze figures of Mars and Minerva, on either side of the doorway, were not interfered with.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cu\u003ESource:\u003C/u\u003E\u003C/strong\u003E Entry on the artist in the \u003Ca href=\u0022http://35.1911encyclopedia.org/C/CO/COUSTOU.htm\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E1911 Edition Encyclopedia\u003C/a\u003E.\u003Cp\u003E","Awards":null,"HasAlbums":false,"HasPortraits":true,"HasRelationships":true,"HasArticles":false,"HasDepictedPlaces":false,"HasLetters":false,"HasLibraryItems":false,"HasProducts":false,"HasSignatures":false,"HasVideos":false,"HasMapLocations":true,"TotalArtworks":4}